Against the Wind
by HeadOverHeelsInHate
Summary: Post ANGEL. They saved the world. At least they thought they did. But Max is gone, and has been gone for the last four years. And now she's back and having to pick between your two favourite, or least favourite, bird kids. Along with her new mutant friends. HIATUS.
1. Chapter 1

Against the Wind

**Me: Yo so I'm M. I have the habit of figuring out plots and then writing the first chapter and not knowng what to do next.**

**Giggles: Ya! So like her last story... if you read it is one chapter long and not going to be updated for a while until she thinks of an evil, realistic everyday plot. Like a terrorist attack or a drug gang, but she's got to figure out the how, what and why to it.**

**Me: So until then I'm writing this story, because I want to, and it doesn't involve a lot of thinking.**

**Giggles: She even written the first five chapters just to make sure!**

**Bookie: M would also like you to know that though it may not seem like it, she is an absolute Fax shipper.**

**Steve: Get to the point. M does not own Maximum Ride.**

**Me: Hope you enjoy this. It's probably overdone, but mine is different.**

CHAPTER ONE

I twined my fingers through the metal bars, pressing my face against the cage door. All I needed was one, one glance at the clear blue sky, one feeling of joy with the sun on my back, one thrill of flying with the wing in my hair, one chance. Just one chance.

All I needed was one chance at freedom. We all needed one chance.

I would take that chance and with it Total, Freedom, Mergeri, Pat and I would escape. We would be totally free. I would take it and never look back. The only reason I had to look back would be to watch Itex crumble to the ground at last.

I sighed and relaxed back into the shadows of my cage.

Next to me, Freedom let out a soft snore in her sleep. I watched her tiny sleeping form. She was much too young, only a child, to experience something like this, something like the School, but I was too weak and... too helpless to stop the torture and save us.

Yes, I the great Maximum Ride was weak and helpless and utterly hopeless.

All I wanted was to go home, to see the Flock, to see... Dylan and... Fang.

We never did totally destroy Itex, it was too powerful and too big to completely obliterate. But after we'd thought we'd destroyed Itex and the School, we relaxed and for the first time in our lives it was peaceful. We'd gotten Angel back and I was finally given the time to work out my feelings for Dylan and Fang, and honestly I didn't know. I'd thought I'd knew but near the end... well, I didn't. I didn't know which boy I loved. Well actually, they'd be men now, totally and officially men.

I'd fought the both of them. Fought my feelings, fought myself. But there are some battles you can't fight alone. I learned that the hard way.

The Flock was gone to who knows where, doing who knows what. I didn't even know if they remembered Total and I.

Four years is a lot of time to pass. A lot of time to move on and fall in love with someone else. A lot of time to be stuck in Itex being tested on. But it was also enough time for me to make new friends, with some old acquaintances.

I now had the Band. Consisting of a talking, flying mutant dog, a jaguar hybrid, an avian-feline crossover and two avian Americans. Total, Pat, Freedom, Mergeri and myself. Total who I'd known from before my recapture. Pat the young teen who'd been raised in Itex and had never seen the sky nor breathed fresh air. Freedom the small child who been taken as an infant and raised in the lab. And Mergeri, none other than the avian hybrid the Flock and I had rescued from the Institute of Higher Living five years ago.

We'd each got here in our own painful ways, but we'd lasted the last four years together in this crap hole. We formed a bond, and a promise. A promise that one day we'd all get out.

And once we got out, well, we'd gone through too much to break apart after that. So we'd stick together or at least keep in touch. But some of us had unfinished business to take care of. Namely, me.

I closed my eyes, remembering my own unfinished business. The painful choice between the love of two young men.

xMx

_"So what, you're just going to go off to some party and miss our six month anniversary?" he growled, obviously upset._

_I glared at him, not liking his accusation. "Yes, yes I am. I made a promise to go to Kate's party and I plan on keeping it."_

_We each glared at each other, neither daring to look away._

_Finally he broke the silence with a desolate sigh. "So Kate's party is more important to you than me?" he asked._

_I rolled my eyes and his pathetic neediness. "No, of course not. You know that I love you, Dyl. It's just that I keep my promises," I had murmured softly. _

_But the day had only gone further down hill from there._

_Fire blazed in Dylan's eyes at my words. "Oh yeah? Can you think of at least one promise that you'll break if you really love me?" he growled._

_I frowned, confused. I couldn't understand what he meant. Of course I loved him, but break a promise? What promise was there to be broken? "Ummm, what promise?"_

_Dylan glared at me. "The promise that you've kept even though you say you love me. The promise you've never let go of. And even when you're with me you never let it go. You never let him go!" his voice rose slightly as it shook with anger and hurt. "You dangle his promise under my nose as you kiss me! You're not over him, are you?" he finished with a slight growl. _

_He pointed accusingly at the silver chain that hung from my neck. I carefully pulled the end out of my shirt, running my fingers over the simple ring that dangled from the chain. It was true, I hadn't taken it off, not since I'd thrown it in the garbage. It meant too much to me. It held too many memories, the good and the bad._

_"Over Fang?" I asked. "Of course I am. I'm with you."_

_Dylan shook his head, sandy blonde hairs flying around only to fall in a perfect mess back on his head. He looked me in the eyes, his own turquoise blue eyes shining with pain and unshed tears. "No you're not. You give me words, but only words. He still has your heart, doesn't he?"_

_"Of course not!" I shouted, slowly starting to panic. Was he leaving me? Leaving me behind like Fang did? Did he not trust me? Did he not love me!_

_Dylan glared at me again. "If you really love me then take it off! Throw it away! Give it back to him! I don't care what you do with it, just don't keep a token of his love and a promise of both of your love when you say you love me. You have to break one promise. A promise to me or a promise to him. Choose now. Me or him."_

_Tears filled my eyes. He really didn't trust me. Couldn't he see that I loved him? Why was he making this so hard? And why did it feel so hard? Couldn't I just tell Dylan that I loved him? But no, something wouldn't let me choose. I knew I loved Dylan but it was if a part of me still loved Fang, a part of me that always would. And I didn't want to loose either of them._

_"You really don't believe me, do you?" I whispered as a single tear rolled down my cheek. And then I turned and ran. I ran to the first person I saw, the person who knew the most about love in the Flock and also happened to not be entangled in my own love life... Total._

xMx

I closed my eyes. That was the last I'd saw of Dylan or any of the others for the matter. Now it was just me, Total and the rest of the Band.

I sighed, running my hand through my brown, blonde streaked hair.

"We're getting out of here. Soon we'll be free," I murmured.

Mergeri lifted her head from her arm she was using as a pillow against the crate bars. She smiled slightly, nodding at me. "Soon."

_Tonight,_ a certain voice I hadn't heard in a very long time said. The Voice. _And make your own flow_.

I am Maximum Ride, and I vow to get us out of here. I vow to kick but and never go with the flow, to fly against the wind. I vow to make my own flow, to make my own wind. I vow that I will always be Max.

And now to kick some serious ass... at least once I've come up with a plan.

**Giggles: So REVIEW! Because M isn't going to update until she gets at least one review!**

**Bob out!**

**-M**


	2. Chapter 2

Against the Wind

**Mwahahahah! So I decided to update, probably sooner than I should have but oh well.**

**Seeing that people read this story or at least hit it up makes me happy. And getting reviews makes my day. I have determined that I probably have a very small ego for one review to make me so happy. But oh well.**

**And now Steve shall do the honours...**

**Steve: Fill in the Blank With Author's Actual Name no own Maximum Ride!**

**Translation = ME NO OWN!**

CHAPTER TWO

Fang felt Maya's eyes on him. He knew she wanted him, but every time he looked at her he could only see Max. He knew Maya wasn't Max, and at one point in time he'd thought he could forget about Max, forget that he loved her. But that was impossible.

Neither he nor Dylan had gotten over her sudden disappearance. There was no reason to it, she'd just upped and left with Total.

Fang knew that Itex was supposed to be gone, but he couldn't help but think that her disappearance had something to do with the company. He couldn't bring himself to believe that she was dead, because even though they'd looked everywhere and they still hadn't found her he knew in his heart that she was out there. She was alive.

It was like with Angel. They'd all thought she was dead, and even though all evidence brought the conclusion that she was, she wasn't and she later returned to the Flock.

Max would return. She had too.

_I miss her too._

Angel's voice suddenly popped into his mind. He looked up at her. He wanted to reassure her with a smile but it seemed that all his happiness had fled along with Max.

_But we need to move on. It's been four years, Fang. You're nineteen. Don't you want to do something with your life? We can't wait forever. We all miss Max, but she isn't coming back._

Fang stiffened at her words. He didn't want to move on. He wanted Max.

Max's disappearance had changed them all. Angel no longer tried to take over and control the Flock. Gazzy, stopped being as gaseous, and became quieter. The Nudge Channel was no longer on 24/7. Iggy stopped joking around as much. Dylan moped around a lot more. And the Gang had returned to their old lives as best as they could, while still keeping in contact with the Flock.

The Flock was slowly crumbling.

They needed Max.

Fang wasn't sure if the could make it without her.

xMx

Four years. Four years of this torture. Four years of this pain. Four years of not fulfilling my duty as leader. But those four years are over. We're busting out and kicking butt.

Total lay weakly on his crate floor. He'd just gotten back from a surgery that obviously hadn't gone too well. I wanted to stay and wait for him to get better, but I couldn't risk it. It was now or never.

It had taken me some serious thinking, and brain pounding, but I finally had a good a proper plan.

Getting the pass code to our crates wasn't too hard, it was more what happened once we were beyond the doors of the storage room that worried me. Four years of being led through the hallways and I still found it confusing.

Mergeri was out first, she quickly opened Total's crate and clutched him tenderly to her chest, as not to further injure him. Pat and I were out next. I swiftly pulled Freedom from her crate, resting her on my hip. She looked up at me with big golden eyes, reminding me slightly of Angel. Her pink feline-like nose twitched as she sniffed the room cautiously.

I smiled at her. She was a smart three year old.

Tension filled the air as Pat quietly unlocked the door and slowly slid it open. The halls were still bright, due to the never ending activity of the company, but the halls remained relatively empty, except for the occasional whitecoat crossing from one room to the next.

Pat crouched down on all fours, using his feline instincts and talents as he tilted his head, listening for any approaching footsteps.

_This would be the perfect time to have Iggy with us_, I thought sadly. But I was glad he wasn't here. I wouldn't want anyone to go through this pain and torture. I would never wish to endanger another living soul to this place, no matter how useful they could be.

Pat straightened, motioning for us to follow. The five of us slowly crept down the halls. Three sets of footsteps almost silent against the tiles.

This was it. We were getting out.

xMx

Iggy glared blindly in Angel's direction. He didn't want to move on. He didn't want to forget Max. He suspected that none of them really did, but he couldn't figure out why Angel would even suggest it.

Max was part of the Flock. She always would be. She was their leader. Even now.

He fumed silently. And of all people, Angel had made the suggestion to Fang first. Fang who was probably hurting the most. Mind you of course that Dylan was hurting too, but Iggy didn't really care how Dylan felt.

Iggy often wondered if Max had run away. And if it was Dylan's fault.

He had heard the last conversation she'd had with any of the remaining Flock members. Dylan had accused her of still loving Fang. And that probably hurt her. Max liked being in charge, and she didn't like people doubting her, so having her boyfriend doubt her faithfulness probably hurt her a lot.

But Iggy hoped that the accusation was true. That Max did still have feelings for Fang. Though if she'd run off, then she'd probably met some other guy, and returning would just mess up the whole Flock's lives even more. Sure they'd be glad and grateful, but if she was with another man, well then it would break both Dylan and Fang.

Because even four years later, they were still pinning after her... with a few minor set backs and complications.

Iggy scuffed his shoes on the dirt floor. If something didn't happen soon, then he might leave, he decided.

He couldn't take the constant worry and pain. The Flock wasn't the same. Fang had returned. Dylan had stayed. Maya had joined. Everyone had changed... grown up. But sometimes it's best to not grow up. Because the Flock had probably grown up too fast.

xMx

There are so many things that I wish I could redo, or take back. There is so many things that I want. And I, Maximum Ride, have probably shed enough tears for each of my regrets.

But this is not one of them.

We were escaping.

Our feet padded quietly against the tile floor as we raced towards a secretive exit I had passed a few times on the upper level when I went for certain more advanced test. We moved quickly, trying not to alert anyone to our presence.

Total awoke suddenly. He grunted in pain as Mergeri ran. I stiffened slightly, but didn't slow. We didn't have any time to spare.

"ERASERS! The subject are escaping!" a voice shouted from behind us.

_Crap_, I thought. This wasn't good.

**AH HA! Mini cliffy.**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated! And I need at least one review to put the next chapter up. Sorry, but I'm picky for this being one of my first fanfics.**

**Bob out!**

**-M**


	3. Chapter 3

From Where You Are

**Giggles: this is Giggles, obviously. M is rather upset for not getting any reviews but she is an impatient updater once she has the chapters done so she decided to update today! She still would appreciate reviews. They make her happy!**

** Steve: M does not own Maximum Ride.**

CHAPTER THREE

Erasers barged out of random rooms, but it was night so most of them were on the far side, in their sleeping quarters.

I shoved Freedom into Pat's arms and swung around to face the oncoming Erasers.

"Go," I ordered the rest of the Band as I scanned my adversaries. The Erasers were approaching more slowly now, wary that I had turned around to face them.

I sneered as I watched them. The Erasers were cautious with me, obviously knowing my past record of kicking Eraser, mutant and anything evil ass alike. The whitecoats stood back from the small crowd gathering around me, evidently expecting me to go down easily and submit defeat.

I almost laughed at that. _Me? Give in? Now? When I'm closer than ever to escaping_? Yeah right. And they're supposed to be the smart ones.

Two Erasers lunged at me, but I sent a quick round house kick to the neck and a jab to the groin, knocking them down. The battle started from there. Erasers lunged at me, whitecoats shouting orders, trying to get their input put in to the battle. But it was really just me and the Erasers.

The hall was a flurry of shouts, kicks, punches and jabs. And of course the flying fur balls of Erasers getting knocked out and knocked down. My moves became instinctive, surfacing old memories of battling enemies with the Flock.

Somewhere in the mess of movements a claw clipped me on the side of the face. I backed up quickly, batting away any blows as my left eye filled with blood from a gash on my eyebrow. I blinked furiously but there was too much blood. The wound wasn't too deep from what I could tell but head wounds always bleed a lot.

I backed up to the window at the end of the hallway, tracking the Erasers with my one good eye.

The glass was thick, I knew that from seeing other experiments failed escape attempts, but it was the quickest way out. I spared a glance out the window to see how far a drop it was and caught the eye of Mergeri. She stared up at me from way down below, she looked scared but like she was determined to get away. A look that told me I too had to get out.

I turned and faced the Erasers once again. I analyzed their movements as I ducked, weaved and jabbed. Picking out the largest, burliest Eraser from the ever growing crowd I moved towards him, and discreetly eased him towards the window.

He threw a punch at me, but I ducked and his fist hit the window, making a hairline of a crack.

_Perfect_, I thought. Now all I had to do was get him to punch that same spot again.

The Eraser closed the circle in tighter around me, becoming more sloppy with their movement once they were sure they had me cornered and so that I couldn't escape. Punches blurred together as they flew towards my body. I moved fast enough, dodging the blows, but I probably looked like I was doing the worm standing up. But fortunately for me, a couple punches landed along the crack, deepening it.

I grinned to myself. And then I charged forwards, causing most of the Erasers to stumble backwards in surprise, which gave me just enough time to throw a powerful thrust kick at the crack in the window. The window shattered outwards as my foot collided with the wall.

Without a second thought I dived through the window. Shards of glass scrapped me as I lunged through the window. I quickly unfurled my wings with a snap.

For a moment I hurtled towards the ground before my wings caught the air and I was lifted. I flapped my wings weakly. I would have to find the Band soon, I was too weak for this sort of exertion and I needed to land soon.

Angry shouts could be heard in the distance, and I grinned.

I was free. I was out.

xMx

Fang sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Angel was frustrating him. She wanted to move on, to stop searching for Max and any leftover Itex organizations. And Fang could understand that.

Angel was an eleven year old girl who just wanted to live a normal life. She reminded him of Nudge at that age and how Max had let her stay and go to school.

And while Fang could understand how Angel was feeling, that didn't mean he wanted to. Because he was sure that somewhere out there, Max was needing his help... or at least someone's help.

He couldn't give up on Max. She had always been there for him and the Flock, and then when she'd needed him he'd left. But that was his fault because she'd only needed him because he'd left. But not this time. This time he would be there for her. This time he wasn't leaving.

Growling under his breath in frustration, Fang opened up his state of the art laptop and logged in to his blog. He set his fingers on the keyboard and starting pouring out his thoughts, well, as much as a Fang could spill.

xMx

I gasped for breath as I landed outside the fence. I wasn't used to exerting myself this much, especially since the whitecoats had discovered a problem with my heart.

My heart was failing me, slowly giving out. My heart wasn't strong enough to pump the blood and energy that needed to be pumped. I couldn't keep doing this. If I wanted to live longer I'd have to learn how to be a couch potato. I hate couch potatoes.

I collapsed on to the ground and rolled on to my back, staring up at the night sky as I clutched at my heart. I breathed slowly. _In and out. In and out. In and out_. And I slowly regained my breath, my heart rate catching up with my pulse.

I heard footsteps pound against the dirt floor as they raced towards me. I stiffened trying to blend in with the dark, but that had always been Fang's talent, not mine.

"Maaaxxxx!" a familiar voice called out. Mergeri's voice.

She crouched down beside me, wide eyed. "Are you okay? Are you still alive?"

I rolled my eyes and propped myself up on my elbows. "Yeah, yeah. Of course. How are you guys? Any injuries?"

Pat shook his head, helping me up to my feet. He towered over me, despite being sixteen to my nineteen years of age. He was probably about Iggy's height at that age, and Iggy was _tallllll_.

"Yeah. We got out fairly easily compared to you. Total's gonna need help soon though. He's bleeding through the stitches."

I nodded. I carefully took Total from Mergeri, cuddling him up against me. I couldn't loose him. He was the only one with a connection to my past. He'd lasted those four years with me, and I couldn't lose him now.

"Come on," I said. "We've got a vet to visit."

**Bookie: Please excuse M from any spelling or grammar mistakes. She was lazy and didn't feel like checking it over again before she updated.**

**Giggles: Please REVIEW! It would make M happy, almost as much as reading does... okay not really, but it would still make her pretty happy! It might even make her less lazy too!**

**Steve: I'm saying this for M, these are under any circumstance my words. Bob out. Steve.**


	4. Chapter 4

From Where You Are

**Me: Ah ha! I'm so happy! I got two reviews! Which makes up for my not so happiness about not getting a review for the second chapter! Hehe! I'm easily amused or happy... well, sometimes. Oh and if the characters I'm talking to aren't book characters then they're my OCs, except for Steve.**

**Steve: I'm her iPod whom she insisted on naming and giving a personality.**

**Me: Ya. So... um, here is the chapter! I told you, I'm an impatient updater... or, well, Giggles told you for me.**

**Giggles: YAY ME! Oh my freaking bob! I sound like London Tipton!**

**Me: Does anyone even really read these things? Because they're making me feel rather insane, or more insane than I normally am.**

**Steve: I am cutting to the chase. M does not own Maximum Ride or London Tipton. She is a girl and not famous. Therefore she could not be James Patterson nor whoever it was who wrote/produced/owned the Suite Life shows.**

**Giggles: He's so dull!**

CHAPTER FOUR

I sighed, taking my seat at the library computer.

Freedom was sitting on the floor next to me as I did a quick check up on some very important stuff. Pat had gone off to get us some food after we'd snagged some clothes instead of out drafty hospital gowns, while Mergeri sat near the edges of the woods, attending to Total as best as she could.

I squeezed my eyes shut, not really wanting to look at this, but I had to. I had to see what was going on. I pushed away my fear. I was dying and therefore there was no reason to put off seeing my family before I died. But I was also too weak from my pathetic heart and the whole not-flying-for-four-years-since-I-was-stuck-in-a-freaking-cage thing.

I stared at the computer for a moment before clicking on the all important blog.

Hopefully Fang still updated his blog.

And thankfully he did.

**You are reading Fang's Blog. Welcome!**

**Date: **_Already Too Late... Still_

**You are visitor number:** _Surely you've figured out by now that you're somewhere so high up there that it doesn't matter anymore._

**Giving Up and Moving On?**

_So as you know, we're travelling the world, looking at stuff and people (and looking for people), but recently Angel suggested we just give up, you know, move on and make something of ourselves._

_But I can't give up and I can't move on (wow, that's sounds like its part of some sad love song). Angel says I can't wait forever, but I can't help but think that I can, I've after all been waiting this long._

_Maya and Nudge agree with Angel. Its not that they really want to (well Maya probably does) it's just that well, we've been on the run/wing our whole lives and now that we're finally free we're still running/flying._

_Dylan is moping about as usual, but there's a chance that maybe he is slowly moving on. And Gazzy hasn't really voiced his opinion. Iggy seems to think that his opinion is obvious but he isn't telling us what it is, though he and Angel are at a sort of disagreement, so my guess is that no, he doesn't want to move on. Or something like that._

_Please voice your opinion, 'cause I really need help._

_-Fang, from somewhere in Canada_

_PS; it's really cold up here, and no, Canadians do not ride polar bears to school... much to Angel's disappointment._

Following that were a lot of people's opinions. It seemed that Fang was just as popular as he was four years age, maybe even more so.

I couldn't help but wonder who they were looking for. Maybe it was me. Maybe this whole thing was about whether or not to give up on searching for me. But that was a bit too much to ask for.

I looked down at Freedom who was looking up at me with her big yellow eyes.

"What do you think?" I asked her. "Should I send him a message."

"Course, dummieee," she giggled quietly.

I nodded, smiling slightly. It wasn't often that she chose to talk. She was a bit like Fang in that way. But much more of a cute, three year old _girl._

I needed a name, a name that would make it obvious that it was me, something no one but the Flock knew. Smiling, I started typing.

**IWontLeaveNotEver said**...

_URGENT!_

_This is Max. Need to talk. Escaped from Itex. Total is hurt._

_Meet at Master of All Cookies's house._

_Bringing new mutant friends._

_-Max, duh_

My finger hovered above the send button. The message sounded slightly more panicked and urgent than I felt that it was. It was also really short, due to the fact that I was too lazy and nervous to put much more detail in to the message. I just hoped that Fang would realize it really was me.

But they'd lasted this long without me, couldn't they last a little longer.

I don't know why I was so nervous, but I was. And before I could change my mind, Freedom reached out a pressed send for me.

I smiled. She's such a smart little intuitive bird-cat kid.

I grinned and slung the back pack over my shoulder and hoisted Freedom on my hip. Time to go to Arizona. Hopefully my mom still lived there.

xMx

Fang flipped open his laptop, scanning the posts on his blog.

Fang blinked in surprise and almost fell out of the tree he was sitting in as he noticed one username that had more meaning than any other username to him.

He quickly read the message, then reread it, then reread it. A huge, uncharacteristic grin split his face. It was Max. And she was heading to Dr M's place.

He hopped out of the tree. "Guys! Get over here!" he shouted, still grinning.

The flock raced out of the little shack they'd been staying in. They were crouched and in fighting stances, ready for battle.

Iggy was the first to sense that there was no danger and pretend that nothing had happened. "Yo, Fang, what's got your knickers in a twist?"

Fang chose to ignore that and was about to answer when Nudge interrupt.

"OMG! Is Fang really smiling? He is! He is!" she squealed. She was going to say more, when Iggy cut in and very characteristically shouted, "The apocalypse is nigh! It's NIGH!"

Reading his thoughts, Angel burst in to a huge grin and starting jumping up and down, immediately changing her mind against moving on. "Shut up everyone! Fang's got something really, really, really important to tell us." She said and grabbed his laptop so she could read the message herself.

"Guys, we're going to Arizona. We've got a Master of All Cookies to visit."

xMx

I couldn't sleep that night.

It felt odd, like I should have Fang and the flock with me. And Fang, Iggy and I would each take a watch, arguing slightly about which one we got. I didn't like to sleep knowing that nobody was watching. I wish it could go back to when we were at the E-shaped house and had no worries.

I wish I'd never had to save the world and I wish I didn't have to deal with the things that saving the world had brought on. Wow, I'm turning into a self loathing sap. What happened to the butt kicking, sarcastic and witty Maximum Ride?

I guess she realized that she wasn't so Maximum after all.

Well, whatever. Sooner or later, er... actually sooner rather than later, I won't have to deal with this. I don't mean to sound emo, that's for Fang to do, but my heart is failing and soon enough I'll fail too. I think I've failed enough in this life time to last me to the next life time, if there is one.

I really am pathetic.

**Me: Mwahahahahahaha! Hehe... So I added Fang's blog in. And I made Max have a failing heart. Not exactly sure why, but maybe it will end up having some sort of importance or being symbolic. Dunno. Oh and I'm a proud Canadian, so no offense meant to Canadians.**

**Giggles: I'm talkative, like Nudge, so I'll be doing most of the OC talking! YAY! Anyways... REVIEW! Review and she'll update faster!**

**Mile: She already updates fast enough.**

**Giggles: But she could slow down! She's only written up to the seventh chapter and she's slowing down.**

**Me: HEY! I'm trying to figure out my other story. You know, the one I started before and am really, really slowly writing. I'm doing my best here.**

**Mile: Whatever.**

**Me: She's mean.**

**Bob out!**

**-M**


	5. Chapter 5

Against the Wind

**Me: So, as I said before, I am an impatient updater. I actually wanted to update last night but thought better of it.**

**Giggles: She's really happy that she got a review.**

**Mile: She's too weak. She needs to toughen up and update less.**

**Me: HEY! I'm tough! I play soccer and do karate! I can kick your ass!**

**Mile: *cough* yeah, right *cough***

**Me: Anyways, I will probably start to slow down with my updates, because truth be told, I don't really write this fast, I'm just a bunch of chapters ahead. And a chapter every few days or almost every day is hard to keep up with, even if you don't have much of a social life like me. I'm just a nerd.**

**Bookie: It's intellectual badass. We nerds prefer intellectual badass.**

**Me: Anyways, um I'll still update often but once I've run out of prewritten chapters the updates will be slowing down by a few days. But please still read and review!**

**Steve: *sigh* You'd think it'd be obvious by now that M does not own Maximum Ride.**

CHAPTER FIVE

Dylan was nervous. He hadn't seen her in four years and finally he was going to see her again. He couldn't help but feel jealous that it was Fang that got Max's message, but he pushed it down, after all there was no other way to contact them.

In Dylan's opinion Fang shouldn't have even come back after they'd _destroyed_ Itex, he should have stayed away and not hurt Max further. Fang had left, he'd made is own gang, he'd hurt Max, and yet still she took him back into her life.

Fang seemed to ruin and hurt everything and everyone.

Dylan had finally managed to kiss Max, and she had kissed him back. And then Fang called saying that he thought Angel was still alive and that he needed her help saving Angel.

Fang always messed things up between Dylan and Max. He always hurt her and then left her. He kept pushing Max away from Dylan, and he hated Fang for that. But he also brought them together, because it was Dylan who always comforted her when Fang left.

The day she had disappeared, they'd had gotten in their worst fight yet, but Dylan couldn't even remember what it was about, probably something petty and stupid that involved Fang.

For the longest time Dylan had felt responsible for her leaving, he'd held the guilt close to his heart, but hearing that it wasn't his fault and that she was coming back lifted his spirits and his heart soared. He felt like he could fly, well, he would have felt as if he could if he couldn't, but he could fly so right now he felt almost invincible, he'd feel completely invincible when Max was at his side.

Dylan hung back from the rest of the flock as they flew towards Dr M's. He knew that even if he was part of the flock and even if Fang had hurt Max, Dylan was more of an outcast than Fang. Because he hadn't been through what they'd been through. He hadn't felt their pain. He hadn't grown up with them.

But Maya was still more of an outcast then him.

He hadn't understood why she'd stayed, and he hadn't wanted her to stay, because every time he looked at he only saw the girl he loved. He only saw Max.

He knew that Maya hated being thought of as Max's clone. Maya avoided looking at him, knowing that when he looked at her he only saw Max. But Maya got along strangely well with Ella and Dr M, they treated her as if she was Max's twin and not her clone. Actually, everybody seemed to accept her, except him.

_Your thoughts are really weird._

He blushed as Angel intruded on his thoughts. He looked ahead, and noticed that Angel was looking back at him and snickering as they flew. Angel had been the first to accept him, but ever since Fang got back and Max disappeared she didn't seem to like him that much anymore.

'_It's not my fault'_, he wanted to scream, because now he knew that it wasn't, not that it seemed to matter to Angel.

He couldn't wait to see Max. He couldn't wait to hold her in his arms and tell her that he was sorry. Then he'd kiss her and tell her that he loved her.

_But what if she doesn't love you back_, a voice said. And this time he knew it wasn't Angel, but he wished it was because then it'd be so much easier to deny.

xMx

I breathed heavily. I wasn't accustomed to this altitude, not having flown in a long time. My wings were weak and my heart was tiring.

Total was tucked in my jacket, his head sticking out from the top. I was also carrying Freedom in my arms since at the age of three, her wings weren't quite yet developed enough to fly.

Mergeri was flying next to me, holding Pat up from under his arms.

Normally I would have insited that I carry him, with me being older, the leader, stronger, more experienced and all, but now wasn't normally. I wasn't stronger anymore. My heart couldn't keep up with my previous abilities so I had to cut back and carry Total and Freedom, and even just holding them I was tiring fast.

"Let's take a break. It can't be that much farther," Pat suggested. It was obvious that he wasn't exactly comfortable at these heights.

I nodded my head meekly, but Mergeri rolled her eyes. "Come on, Pat, think of it this way. If you fall you'll probably land on your feet," she said with a smirk as we slowly lowered ourselves in to a nearby forest.

My wings flapped powerfully, as I steadied myself and carefully manoeuvred myself down through the trees. As my feet touched the ground I pulled my wings in.

Freedom jumped out of my arms, smiling shyly as she took in our surroundings. This was all new to her. She'd never flown before, or seen the sky. She'd never climbed a tree or felt the rain on her skin. There were so many things she hadn't experienced. So many things I wanted to give her a chance to do.

Mergeri sat down, catching her breath as Pat crouched, pulling random items out of his backpack. I sighed, collapsing on to the ground. I carefully took Total out of my jacket and pulled my jacket off, resting him on top of it.

Mergeri crawled over and sat beside me as we examined Total's wounds. The bleeding around his stitches in his side had stopped and his fur around the shaved part was matted with blood. His eyes were closed and his breathing was shallow but steady. I felt like he may have broken a rib, and possibly some internal bleeding, but I couldn't figure out why the whitecoats wouldn't have fixed him up if they knew he was injured.

_Did they want him dead?_

xMx

Iggy felt nervous. The Flock hadn't been to visit the Martinez's in three years, they had sort of stopped after Max and Total had disappeared.

Sure they kept in contact, but never very much.

Besides, things were still awkward between Ella and himself after she'd gotten brainwashed and tried to get wings. Iggy no longer knew where he stood with her. And he wasn't sure he wanted to.

The sweet, innocent Ella he'd first met, was gone, of that he was sure. The Doomsday Group had changed her, and not for the better. She'd gotten most of her old self back, but he couldn't get the image of the wild haired, hysterical Ella out of his mind. The Ella who wanted wings.

Of course, he knew that he'd been brainwashed too, but not as much as her.

A long time ago, he'd been smitten with her, thinking that maybe when this was over he would ask her out on a date. But that plan proved to be a failure.

Iggy sighed. He couldn't keep running away from his problems, he had to face them. He had to face Ella. Especially if it meant getting Max back.

**Me: Hehe *sheepish giggle* I just realised that for the last two chapters I've been putting the wrong title at the top. Whoops.**

**Giggles: Oh, and if anyone has a reason why they might want Total dead, please tell us. M hasn't figured that out. She hasn't even figured it out if they do want him dead. Anyways REVIEW!**

**Mile: Or else...**

**Jade: Say please, Mile. It's not polite to be rude.**

**Mile: Well, no duh, it's not polite to be rude. Those are two fridging opposites.**

**Bookie: Please excuse those two. They too are opposites, and generally don't get along very well. But we would appreciate reviews, very much so.**

**Ritie: Whatever. I think the readers are getting bored. So, please review and... I guess please continue to read these dumb author's notes.**

**Giggles: So now all of M's current OC's have said something. Except for of course... dun dun na na... not Fang but... MYST!**

**Ariel: Woof!**

**Giggles: NOOOOO! NOT THE DOG!**

**Myst: *quiet sigh* Could we please continue?**

**Mile: No. Because this is the end.**

**Me: FINALLY!**

**Steve: Admit it, you enjoyed writing this. You were bored without us.**

**Mile: Just review, peoples.**

**Bob out!**

**-M**


	6. Chapter 6

**Me: Eek! I'm so excited for the next chapter. Then I have a very important question(s) to ask. But you'll have to wait. I just got a review and I really wanted to update! So if anyone cares, thank this update to Skatzaa, the only person who reviewed twice! YAY!**

**Ritie: I have recently realised that M likes to syck people out.**

**Bookie: How do you spell syck or sick or sic or syc or syk or something, because we really don't know and it would be useful to know. So PM or Review to M and us, please, because M can't find it.**

**Steve: This is getting old. M does not own Maximum Ride.**

CHAPTER SIX

I'm not sure how much longer we flew but by the time my heart stopped, we were pretty close.

Just for a fraction of a second my heart stopped. My eyes widened and I stopped flapping. As I plummeted towards the forest floor my heart picked up speed in its panicked state. The ground was rushing up to meet me when I stretched my wings out further. They caught the air and I jerked around slightly as my descent slowed. But not fast enough.

My feet hit the ground in a painful thud and I tucked inwards, guarding Total and Freedom with my body, as I rolled. I came to a stop not to far away and I lay there, sprawled out on the floor as I tried to catch my breath and slow my pounding heart.

"Max!" Pat shouted, springing out of Mergeri's arms and landing in a crouch before racing towards me. "Max! Are you ok?"

Mergeri landed softly and ran over to me, whacking Pat upside the head as she squatted down next to me. "_Of course she is_. Why else would she fall out of the sky and land in a heap?" she answered sarcastically, but even so she stared down at me with a worried frown creasing her eyebrows.

I glared at them. I didn't need their worry. They already knew about my heart. They knew nothing could help me, at least nothing that we knew of. They should be worrying about Total and Freedom.

As if on command Total lifted his head slightly of my chest, finally conscious. "What a lovely landing, Max," he said, rolling his eyes weakly.

Freedom just clapped her hands and giggled. "Tooties," she laughed, reaching out with a small hand to pat Total's tail. You know the one that's slightly shorter than it should be from a previous accident, also known as probably one of the only places he didn't hurt, judging by the scratched up way he looked.

I sighed. _In and out. In and out_, I reminded my self as I sat up, steadying my heart beat.

So my heart is failing me. But sometimes I wonder if its only failing me because love is failing me.

Total sighed and closed his eyes, falling back asleep. He was too weak for much else. He needed help. He needed help now.

xMx

Valencia woke up to hear a knock on her door, followed by the barking of her two dogs.

That was strange, she thought, she wasn't expecting anyone.

Pulling a robe over her pyjamas, she hurried down the stairs to answer the door, shoving Magnolia and Akila out of the way. She yanked open the door to see a gaggle of kids lounging on her porch.

Anyone else would have freaked out, taking them as a threat, but Val just smiled, realizing she shouldn't have been too surprised, they were really the only one's who would come knocking at this early hour.

She smiled fondly at them, it had been a few years since she'd seen them. Things were a lot tenser ever since Max had disappeared. She got the feeling that Fang felt as if they were imposing on her without Max, as if they were just freeloading off of her. But Valencia didn't really mind. The Flock was Max's family and therefore they were her family too.

Fang looked up, nodding to her.

She reached out and pulled him into a hug, which he awkwardly returned with a pat on the back. She smiled up at the young man who towered over her. "And what finally brings you here?" she asked.

Fang looked her straight in the eye as he answered, "Max."

Valencia gasped and looked around for her daughter, her shoulders slumping slightly when she didn't find her in the crowd. Fang shook his head and gestured towards the house. Valencia smiled, though it held a trace of sadness, and beckoned them all in to her home.

"Max is coming," Maya murmured as she passed the older woman on her way into the house.

Valencia's eyes widened. Her daughter was coming home! HER DAUGHTER WAS COMING HOME!

"When?" she asked breathlessly once they were all inside. "Where has she been?"

Fang shrugged. "Dunno." His response didn't really answer here question, but she barely noticed. Max was coming home!

"Fang got a message from her on his blog. It said that she, Total and some other mutants, got out of the School. Apparently Itex wasn't completely destroyed and they'd kidnapped Max and Total. She should be here soon. Oh, and Total is injured," Maya explained.

Val smiled. Maya might not actually be her daughter, but she was Max's clone which in Valencia's mind made Maya her daughter and Max's twin. Maya was very nice, and unique from Max, once you'd taken the time to get to know her.

"Make yourselves at home. There are freshly baked cookies from last night in the pantry," she added. "You can wake Ella up if you want. She's in her room."

Valencia bustled about, collecting her equipment and packing it in the car for their arrival. As much as she wanted a wonderful reunion with her daughter she knew that if Total or any of the others were injured, they would be on Max's top priority list.

As she was doing so, the Flock settled in and Nudge ran upstairs with Akila at her heels to wake Ella and tell her the news.

"WHAT!" a feminine shout could be heard from upstairs. "MAX IS COMING HOME!"

xMx

I was smiling in anticipation. We were almost there, just another hour or so. And then I'd get to see my family, friends and Flock and the _hims_ again after four years.

Inside I was squealing like a little girl. But that all subsided when I remembered Total's ragged breathing and sad eyes. He needed help. And he needed it fast.

I looked down at where his head poked out of my jacket. I didn't mind it so much now, as long as he lived I wouldn't care so much that it was _my_ jacket he liked to poke his head out of.

"Akila..." he moaned. "I miss her." Total looked up at me with his big sad eyes. "Do you think she's still alive? Still waiting for me?" he rasped.

"Of course she is," I said comfortingly. I carefully shifted Freedom in my arms and reached up to scratch Total's head. "You're going to be ok. You have to," I murmured, as tears pricked my eyes.

I couldn't lose Total. I just couldn't.

**Me: So I'm starting to wonder how many people actually like this story. I get a lot of views, but all my stories have so few reviews and I would really appreciate the reviews. You clicked the button to my story, so how much harder would it be to click one more button and type a few words?**

**Giggles: PLEASE REVIEW! All she's asking is at least one review per chapter. That's reasonable, right?**

**Bookie: A review goes a long way. It can inspire and do good stuff... So just review. M likes to update, but she doesn't like updating without at least one review.**

**Steve: It doesn't even have to be a good review. Maybe some ideas, or what you want from this story. It can even be just two letters long. But just review.**

**Me: And soon is the moment you all have... probably... been waiting for! The moment when they finally meet up... finally!**

**Bob out.**

**-M**


	7. Chapter 7

Against the Wind

**Me: I'M SO FRIDGING HAPPY! I GOT THREE FRIDGING AWESOME REVIEWS! So... _*Cough cough, scrambling to regain dignity*_ ... I decided to update again today, not long after, because I'm SO FRIDGING BOBING HAPPY!**

**Mile: She's worse than Giggles right now.**

**Giggles: HEY! Enjoy M's happiness and fast updating. Because she so far only has one more prewritten chapter and then she'll have to write as she goes.**

**Steve: M does not under any circumstance own Maximum Ride, despite what so foolish people who make us do this disclaimer thing must think.**

**M: AND READ THE BOTTOM AN BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME VERY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS INVOLVING THE OUTCOME OF THIS STORY!**

CHAPTER SEVEN

We didn't see it. We didn't see it coming.

We were flying low at this time in the early morning fog, when it happened. It was impossible to see, even with our excellent vision, but maybe that was because we were too anxious on our first night out of Itex that we just couldn't sleep.

And then it was looming in front of us, barbed wires and all.

The pain was intense as we crashed in to the fence at full force. Mergeri had had just enough time to drop Pat, so that he fell and hit the ground, rolling and crashing in to a lower, less deadly part of the fence. Me, though... I held Freedom and Total, the child and the injured. I couldn't drop them. So as Mergeri and I crashed in to the dangerous wires and barbs of the fence at high speed, I turned and curled inwards around Freedom and Total, taking the brunt of the crash.

A moan and grunt of pain escaped my firmly pressed together lips as I collided with the fence and collapsed in a heap to the ground about eight feet below.

Intense pain shot up my body. I had broken something. Something bad.

Tears blurred my eyes, and my heart beat erratically. I felt my eyes flutter and then I was enclosed in darkness and pain.

xMx

Pat groaned in pain, slowly dragging himself to his feet. He glanced around looking for his friends. In the morning light it would normally be difficult to make things out, but Pat's feline DNA allowed him to adjust his yellow slitted eyes and find his friends.

His eyes widened even more as he found them.

Mergeri was weakly trying to get up, but it looked like she'd broken an arm and dislocated a shoulder. Max, on the other hand, was still as death except for the slight rising and falling of her chest. Seeing as Mergeri was otherwise alright, Pat raced over to Max's side.

Max wasn't looking so good. She had tons of small cuts and scraps against her skin and her shirt was torn, but that wasn't what frightened him most. It was the large bloody gash on her side with a barb embedded deep within her flesh.

Pat winced at the sight and quickly tore of his shirt, tearing it into long strips. He then gently pulled Total and Freedom aside as it seemed that they were not hurt apart from any previous injuries and some slight shock.

Pat worked quickly as he tightly secured the strips of his shirt around Max's waist, trying to stop the bleeding. But once the makeshift bandages were in place, he could still see that they wouldn't last long, she was bleeding through. And it wasn't just that, he could tell she was injured in other ways. If his experience as a test subject in Itex served him correctly, she had broken of fracture a few ribs and had a concusion.

But Pat didn't have the time to do anything else. He quickly ran over to Mergeri, grabbing a stick on his way.

He held the stick in front of the older girl's face. Grimacing she bit on to the stick, preparing for the pain of Pat fixing her arm.

Pat kept his voice low and steady as he counted, "One... two..." and on two he yanked her shoulder back into place. Mergeri hissed in pain, clamping her teeth tightly around the stick hard enough that Pat could hear a crunch.

Getting up, they moved as if they were telepathic and had just spoken of some sort of plan as they moved in their separate directions.

Mergeri limped over to Max, carefully watching the three. She would tend to them until help came.

And without a backwards glance, Pat ran at the fence, easily scaling it and launching himself over the barbed top. He twisted slightly in the air and landed lightly in a crouch before taking off across the field as he ran in the direction he believed Max's mom to live.

xMx

Ella sat in the couch, watching the Flock as they watched for Max. But mostly her eyes were trained on Iggy.

He'd changed a lot since she'd last seen him. Sure he was still the same goofy, bomb-loving dude that she'd fell for years ago, but now he'd seen more, knew more, and was much wiser and experienced. He'd lived a life out of a novel, fighting courageously, flying through the night sky, loosing friends, winning battles, destroying enemies. It was the stuff she could only dream of. The stuff she'd almost destroyed when she'd gone of and tried to get wings. She was lucky Fang and his old gang had shown up and rescued her.

Back then, she'd always dreamed of Iggy being her knight in shining armour. But then she'd gone and ruined their chances, and now she didn't know where they stood anymore. She didn't know if he still like her or if she still liked him, but either way she probably shouldn't... after all she had Connor, her sweet, doting and funny boyfriend. She was pretty sure that Iggy and Connor would have been friends if they met, unless of course Iggy still had feelings for her and then it would just be awkward.

Ella sighed. This was so much more complicated than she wanted it to be. She just couldn't wait for Max to come home. They had a lot of catching up to do, and maybe Max would have some advice. Ella slumped lower in her chair, remembering that Max had bigger love life problems than her. But maybe Nudge could help them both.

xMx

Nudge sat at the window, watching for Max and her friends. It was one of the rare moments she was silent as she waited anxiously for Max.

Out of her peripheral vision she could see Dylan waiting nervously on the porch, scanning the sky for sights of Max. She knew for a fact that Fang was perched on the roof, probably doing the same as Dylan except from a better vantage point and more collected with his emotions.

But Nudge was glad Fang had the vantage point. She had nothing much against Dylan, he was a really nice guy, but he could be a prick at times. And while Fang got on her nerves too, she'd known him her whole life so he never bothered her much, it always seemed like more of a comfort with him.

Nudge reached down and patted Magnolia on the head. She was absent mindedly fiddling with the old beagle's ears when she looked up to see a boy or young man... or more correctly, mutant, streaking towards them shirtless.

She wasn't exactly sure how she could tell he was a mutant but she could. Maybe it was at his un-human speed and grace as he raced towards them. Or maybe it was the way his muscles rippled as he moved in a way that Nudge could not think of as human.

Nudge could tell he was handsome, or more specifically, hot, but she'd never had much experience with boys.

Dylan was not her type, despite having the looks of a supermodel. Fang had always been more of a brother or father figure to her, not to mention that he was totally off limits to anyone and everyone but Max, as far as Nudge was concerned. Gazzy was too young for her and definitely not her type. He also happened to be clueless about girls at his not so tender age of thirteen. All that left was Iggy. And Nudge could admit that Iggy was hot. He was tall and good looking and very funny, but Nudge wasn't exactly sure if she liked him that way.

Nudge blinked, tearing herself away from her private thoughts and finally realizing that this could be the break they were looking for. He could be bringing new of Max! Unless of course he was actually a threat. But that thought didn't really bother her much, as she sincerely doubted he would have been reckless or stupid enough to charge an enemy like that.

Nudge raced out the door with the rest of the Flock close on her heels as she raced towards the boy.

The mutant pulled up short, letting them carry themselves to him as he leaned forwards to catch his breath. But he didn't bother to fully catch his breath as he blurted out the news.

"It's Max. She's hurt."

**Me: Ok that was the longest chapter yet because I needed to start the possible pairings. AND IT'S QUESTION TIME! Who do you think who should be with?**

_**Max: Fang or Dylan or Someone else? Maybe Connor?**_

_**Fang: Max or Maya or Mergeri or Kate or Someone else?**_

_**Dylan: Max or Maya or Mergeri or Kate or Someone else?**_

_**Maya: Fang or Dylan or Iggy or Pat or Ratchet or Someone else?**_

_**Iggy: Mergeri or Ella or Nudge or Maya or Someone else?**_

_**Mergeri: Iggy or Pat or Ratchet or Someone else?**_

_**Pat: Mergeri or Ella or Nudge or Maya or Kate or Someone else?**_

_**Ella: Iggy or Pat or Fang or Connor or Someone else?**_

_**Nudge: Iggy or Pat or Holden or Someone else?**_

_**And any other pairing preferences? And um, who would you put Star with? Also put in if you have an OC that you'd like one of the characters to end up with and I might put them in, but I kinda doubt it. Oh and someone else means a human of my making or some other character that you remember.**_

**Giggles: REVIEW AND TELL US!**

**Me: You can change your mind in the future and just tell me, but as the story continues I need to know who should be with who because I need to build up the chemistry between the two characters. Because if I just put them randomly together with no chemistry... well, then that sucks major straws.**

**Bookie: Be forewarned that she may not use the all preferable pairings but she'll try to use some of them. **

**Me: PLEASE FRIDGING REVIEW AND TELL ME WHO SHOULD BE WITH WHOM!**

**Bob out!**

**-M**


	8. Chapter 8

Against the Wind

**Okay, so I'm officially doing shorter Author's Notes. So it's just me, you and Steve now.**

**Anyways I could give a lot of lame excuses as to why I'm so late – I do happen to have them on hand and true – but it pretty much boils down to me being lazy and busy and my computer not working totally properly. Anyways, I'm gone for the next two weeks but will try to update while I'm away.**

**Steve: M does not own Maximum Ride, she's on fanfiction, jeez, she's just a fan.**

CHAPTER EIGHT

Pat didn't waste any time. As soon as the words were out of his mouth he turned back, heading as fast as his tired body allowed.

A black blur streaked down from above, matching his pace, but pulling slightly ahead in his panic to reach Max. The black blur was followed closely by a golden blur, and soon followed by who Pat would imagine were the rest of Max's family. He could easily tell that the black streak was Max's former best friend and the blonde blur was the self acclaimed perfect other half, Dylan.

Pat personally didn't have an opinion on whom Max should be with, seeing as he knew neither of them, he just hoped that she picked right... whoever right was. But that wasn't the immediate problem, first they had to make sure that she and the others were okay.

Pat's bare feet raced silently over the twigs, pebbles and puddles as he expertly weaved his way through the terrain. He may have never been outside of the lab but his feline instincts had him finely attuned with his surroundings.

Pat tore through the woods, not bothering to stop, not even taking the time to register that for the bird kids and full humans it would be harder to make their way through the trees. He didn't even notice Fang drop back.

As the fence came in sight he full out sprinted, launching himself with ease over the fence and landing lightly on the other side.

He only fully stopped when he saw the tear stained face of Mergeri.

xMx

Valencia breathed heavily, she wasn't like the others, she wasn't made for survival and fighting. She couldn't run near as fast as them and was dropping behind, especially with the small medical kit she was lugging with her.

She gasped slightly as she felt strong arms grasp her beneath her arms and lift her off of the ground. She twisted her head and glanced up to see Fang staring intently ahead, his eyebrows furrowed with concentration and worry. Worry for Max. And fear.

She swung limply in his arms, as he dodged trees and large shrubs. She knew that he would have been faster without him, but she also realised that he knew without her Max might lose her chance. Valencia was the one with superior knowledge of healing, and though she slowed him down he made sure she got there faster than she would have on her own two feet.

As soon as Pat stopped, Fang dropped her lightly to her feet and raced over to a limp figure sprawled out on the ground. He paused only momentarily to meet eyes with the crying figure hovering near Max's figure.

Valencia followed him, shoving her way through the crowd that the flock had formed if they didn't move out of her way fast enough.

Valencia collapsed to the floor next to her daughter, checking for her pulse and heartbeat. Her pulse was there, faint but steady, but her heart seemed slightly irregular. After checking her vitals, she began to unwrap the bandage around Max's waist to see the damage.

xMx

Dylan stared in horror at the limp figure that was Max.

Her short hair was spread loosely in a mess in the dirt and her face was gaunt and tired. Her clothes were ripped and dishevelled. She looked like a desperate mess. But Dylan could see the beauty that shone beneath her current state. He could see her alive with fire, a fierce glare in her eyes as she prepared to knock out anyone who got in her way. He only wished that that was the Max he saw now.

He didn't like to see her so weak or in so much pain, so he turned away when Valencia tore of the bandages and quickly started her work. He didn't even turn as she gasped in pain, showing that she was still alive. Instead, he watched steadily as the boy mutant who'd led them here argued with another kid, only this one wasn't much of a kid, she looked to be only about a year younger than himself, so a couple years older than the guy.

"I'm fine," the girl grounded out as she bounced a young mutant on her hip. If Dylan wasn't mistaken the child was both a feline and bird mutant. Dylan blinked in surprise, wondering if this child was the outcome of the two arguing mutants, um... mating.

"No you aren't," the boy said, his voice laced with steel. "You were crying, which means that something was not all right."

"I wasn't crying."

"Were too."

"Were not"

Their argument continued on like this for a while longer until the girl caved. "Fine, I was crying, but only because Total told me that if he died to tell Akila that he loved her. It was so sweet and so sad."

The boy then blinked and muttered something about crazy hormonal girls, but Dylan had stopped paying attention to their conversation at that point.

Dylan's eyes instinctively led him to where Max lay with the flock surrounding her. Iggy was skimming his fingers lightly over the little black Scottish terrier that could only be known as Total, attending and assessing his wounds as best as he could. Everybody else stood around anxious and unsure of what to do. But none of that caught Dylan's eye, not even the bloody wound in Max's side, instead, his eyes flew from her now conscious body to her hand where she was tightly gripping Fang's hand.

Jealousy burned in his vision and he grasped Max's other hand. "Don't worry, Max, don't worry. You'll be alright," he murmured in her ear. He smiled in relief as her grip on his hand tightened.

Always the one to ease the tension, Iggy seemed to glance up and sense the awkward position they were in, and decide to interrupt the scene. "Well, well, well. I must say, Max, it seems to me as this were a scene out of a book where you are pregnant and you've got two men pinning after you, wondering which is the father."

Max blinked and turned slightly to glare at him. "Shut up, Iggy, unless you want me to come over and pound you to a dust."

Iggy quickly backed away.

"What a nice way to welcome your friends," the mutant girl snickered.

Max rolled her eyes. "I know, Mergeri, its absolutely wonderful," she retorted tiredly. "Oh, and Pat... can you shut her up."

The boy mutant Pat frowned. "And how do you expect me to do that?"

Max chuckled, gasping slightly as Valencia dug the barb out of her side. "You'll think of something," she said with a suggestive wink that the old Max never would have done.

It took Pat a moment to digest what she said, you could tell when he figured it out by the widening of his eyes and the fact that he gagged.

"Hey!" Mergeri said grumpily as the kid in her arms giggled.

"Ewwwwwwie!" the kid screamed and wiggled out of Mergeri's arms, running over to Max and burying her small face in to her hair.

**Hehe! So I got three very awesome reviews… but my goal is to change some of your opinions on some of the pairings. Any reviews or preferable pairings would be appreciated, even if they do come in near the end of the story, because most of the pairings aren't definitive yet.**

**SO PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Bob out!**

**-M**

**Steve: Farewell for now.**


	9. Chapter 9

**OH MY FREAKING BOB! I'm so freaking happy! I got a bunch of reviews! So thank you to all the people who reviewed! It totally made my day! I love it that people like my writing!**

**I would also like to put some people's worries to rest; I like psyching people out, so the pairings I actually want might not show until the end, but the chemistry shall be there! Just look for it! And as much as I too despise certain characters I shall try to follow their actual personalities and try to do them justice!**

**Steve: are you dumb? Do I really need to do this again? M DOES NOT OWN MR! And shall never own MR!**

CHAPTER NINE

Fang sat outside, drumming his fingers impatiently on the armrest of his chair. He wanted to see Max... no, he needed to see Max.

After patching up Max's side as best as she could with the limited resources and assessing that Max had cracked a few ribs, Valencia had rushed Max off to her clinic in her car, bringing only the new mutants and Total.

Fang felt a pair of curious eyes watching him. Shifting awkwardly, he turned to meet the wise beyond her years golden eyed stare of the only hybrid in Max's group that had stayed behind; the three year old girl.

She giggled, shuffling up to him. "I'mmm Fweedom," she said, a large grin stretching across her face.

He smiled slightly, she was cute, she reminded him of Angel when she was younger, of course, Angel was eleven now and didn't like to think of herself as that childish. "Hi, Fweedom," he said quietly.

The girl giggled, her rosy nose twitching slightly as she laughed at him. "You said it funniwee."

He blinked, realising that she must have meant _Freedom_, not F_w_eedom. "Freedom, who's you mommy?"

She grinned goofily up at him, reaching her arms up for him to pick her up. He obliged and lifted her up, resting her against his chest. The girl reached out and grabbed a chunk of his hair, pulling him closer to her.

"NOT YOU!" she shouted in to his ear, before bursting out laughing.

He smiled at the young girl, deciding then that he liked her. For a little kid she had a lot of spunk. He figured that when she grew up she'd take after Max but with Iggy's sense of humour.

Freedom reached up and patted his head as if he were a dog. "Don't woowy. Maxie's gonna be ok. And den she's gonna kick yow assss."

He raised an eyebrow. "Is she now?"

She bobbed her head up and down. "Yup. She saiwd she's gonna pow-nd you and Blondie's butts intooo de diwt. But Mererwi saiwd dat she gonna kiss one of you."

Fang blinked slightly at her bluntness, but he figured what she said was true. He just wondered who it would be that Max would kiss.

Freedom's small fists tightened her grip on his shirt, burying her face in to his shoulder. "I don't gots a mummy. Maxie saiwd dat she would be mine, dough," she grinned up at him. "Will you be my daddy?" she asked with a big yawn.

Fang stared down at the small girl in his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder and her eyes slowly drooped closed. He watched her as her breathing slowed and she slipped off into a deep sleep, smoothing his hand over her golden brown hair.

"Sure," he murmured.

xMx

I stared up at the big house, pausing. For the first time, I wondered if they really wanted me back. I didn't want to impose on them and I didn't want to bother them.

I was just me. The dirty, broken and dying Maximum Ride, but you know, without so much _Maximum_ as before. Why would they possibly want me back?

And I wasn't sure that I could handle rejection. Right now all I wanted to do was run away and curl up in a ball and maybe even cry. Pathetic, right?

I didn't want to see the faces of the people who meant so much to me filled with pain, or pity or maybe even hatred. I couldn't bare it if they hated me. And I didn't want to lose them again.

Clutching a sleeping Total to my chest, I stepped out of the car. My mother glanced back at me, giving me a reassuring smile before she disappeared in to the house.

"It's ok," Pat murmured. Both he and Mergeri were flanking me, protecting me and giving me the courage I needed to go and face my family. He placed a hand on my shoulder, silently telling me that I could do this. I glanced at Mergeri who nodded in support. Sighing, I marched up to the house.

I only made it about halfway up the driveway when the door burst opened. A loud mob of mutants and humans – or should I say human – alike crashed towards us in a large wave, all screaming or shouting my name. At that point I think I was actually getting tired of my name. I guess that's what various and repetitive shouts of _'Max'_ can do to you.

Dylan was the first to reach me, seeming as if he had been waiting anxiously for me to come home. I grinned at him, but held up a hand when he tried to pull me into a crushing embrace.

"Total," I croaked my explanation.

Dylan smiled at me as the flock and Martinez's crowded around me... well all but one. All but Fang.

I couldn't help but frown, wondering where he was and if he didn't want to see me. Had he moved on?

Mergeri gently took the groggy Total from my arms as he started to awaken from all the clamour. And as soon as he was away from me, Dylan swept me off my feet and spun me around.

"I've missed you, Max," he said breathlessly.

I smiled up at him, feeling truly happy, and he grinned back down at me, slowly moving his head closer to mine.

A cough interrupted out moment. "Excuse me, but there are others who need Max's oh so comforting embrace," Iggy said impatiently, scowling slightly.

I grinned at him and he swept me up in a hug. And then I was in the middle of a giant mob hugging fest.

xMx

Mergeri stared at the large crowd.

She stared impassively as they swarmed Max in a large, loud hug. She could fairly easily pick out the faces that Max had described in her stories, but she noticed that one very noteworthy male mutant was missing, a certain dark haired, tanned boy that Max could possibly be in love with. But of course the other boy, Dylan, was practically glowing as he stood next to Max, never leaving her side.

The mob slowly trickled in to the house, shoving their way in to the living room and searching for a seat.

She quickly passed Total off to Pat who decided to go outside and look for Akila, whom Total was begging to see.

Peering around, she found that one other was missing... Freedom. Becoming rather anxious she turned to hurry after Pat and look for Freedom when she collided with a firm chest.

She groaned and rubbed her head. "Sorry," a smooth voice said from above. "Didn't see you... of course." The young man chuckled slightly as if it were supposed to be a joke.

Glancing up she saw the tall body attached to a light ginger haired head._ Iggy_, she decided_, the blind pyromaniac flock member._

"Of course you didn't," she grunted. "But couldn't you still be more careful."

"Well maybe you could try to avoid bumping to strangers," he retorted.

She glared at him. "I totally would agree with you. I prefer to avoid strange people like you."

A long awkward silence between them filled the air before Iggy decided to blatantly break it and point out that this was one of the most awkward conversations he'd ever taken part in.

Mergeri stared at him for a moment. "Oh really," she countered. "Well you've obviously never had to explain to a whitecoat that you're on your period." Cue more awkward silence... and the start of a loud argument between Mergeri and Iggy.

"Well, obviously," Iggy glared at her. "I'm not a girl."

Mergeri glared right back at him, her hands on her hips. "Really? I could have sworn you were a girl. There goes all my hopes of a best friend to gush about cute boys with and how _that_ does totally not match with _this_," she retorted sarcastically.

"I could still tell you that this _sooo_ matches with that and that that _totally_ doesn't go with this," he said defensively.

Mergeri stared at him like he had grown an extra head. "You really want to be able to do that? And beside you're blind."

Iggy glared at her, his gaze fixed unknowingly on her left ear. "I happen to have super powers."

And before she could respond, the door banged open and a dark haired, dishevelled looking young man rushed in. Mergeri glanced over at him, but his attention was fixed on one person and one person only, and it wasn't the small _very_ familiar girl in his arms.

"Max..." he breathed.

**So there! Mini cliffy! But what if its not who you expect... It could be ANYBODY! Hehe... HI!**

**Please review! It makes me happy and it also makes me try to update faster! But I'm not the hot off the press kinda girl, for my chapters to work and flow, I generally write slightly ahead of my postings!**

**Pairing preferences would be much appreciated! And I'd like to put a gay or lesbian couple in this story but I haven't decided yet and I'm not sure who!**

**Bob out!**

**-M**

**Steve: Adieu! On dit au revoir les bonnes lecteurs! À la prochain fois! M veut se pratiqué sa français.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Yo! So here it is...**

**Steve: *sigh* Once again M does not, under any circumstance, own Maximum Ride... despite what it seems that some people think!**

CHAPTER TEN

"Max..." a familiar voice that happened to have haunted many of my dreams murmured.

My head snapped up and I looked to my side. Dylan was glaring straight ahead, his eyes fixed on something or should I say someone. So it wasn't him who said my name.

As I slowly turned my head towards the voice I could feel the flock and the band's stares boring in to me. But my own gaze was frozen on the figure in the doorway. And no, it wasn't Freedom, she was clinging to _his_ leg.

No. It was Fang.

His dark eyes were fixed on me, absorbing my every freckle, hair and cell.

I think time might have frozen as we stared at each other. No one dared move, let alone speak, and it seemed like they barely dared to breathe. but I'm sure if a pot broke or an Eraser crashed through the door I wouldn't have noticed. Well... maybe I would have.

I'd already forgiven Fang for leaving me, well... for the most part, and he knew that, so you're probably expecting some sort of dramatic reunion full of making out and words of love, but that didn't happen. For one, Fang had never been one for dramatics. But truth be told, I still wasn't sure if I actually was still _in_ love with Fang. My emotions were clouding my brain and I just couldn't tell who these feelings were for. I knew I cared for them both, maybe even loved them both, but I was only _in _love with one of them, and I didn't know who.

Fang or Dylan? Dylan or Fang? That's a billion dollar question that I didn't have the answer to.

I slowly stood up and calmly walked over to him. "Hey, Fang," I said, opening my arms for a hug. For a second I thought he might turn down my hug, as he had never been much of a huggy person, but he stepped forwards, pulling me in to his chest. His strong arms wrapped me, and he hunched down slightly and rested his head in my shoulder.

"I've missed you, Max," he said so quietly that I was sure only I had heard. I nodded into his chest, not bothering to say anything, but knowing that he would understand, he had always understood me and I really hoped that he still did.

Our embrace was brief, and I pulled away first, surprisingly enough.

I grabbed his wrist and reached for Dylan as I pulled the two of them to the couch and was followed by the rest of the current household.

Taking a seat, I started. "So where to begin?" I muttered.

"Maybe from the start," Gazzy suggested.

xMx

It took much if the rest of the day for Max to recount the last four years withe the help and input of Mergeri and Pat, and the occasional feeble word from Total or Freedom. It was a rather depressing tale, as it brought back many old and painful memories from the School as well as creating new ones. There were a lot of stifled sobs, pauses and breaks in the telling.

Once it was finally over Nudge studied Max from where she sat.

Feeling the tension, Fang had moved of to lean against the wall with the small golden eyed feline-bird human hybrid that Max had introduced as the three year old Freedom in his arms.

Max was tucked under Dylan's aromas she curled up against him, sleeping. Dylan carefully ran his fingerthicker her various scars and smoothed hair matted hairdown as Fang watched from afar.

Nudge sighed. She just wanted Max to be happy, she deserved some happiness after the tests and horrific events she'd gone through. But the beginning of Max's happy ending was far from here. Max still had two extremely handsome young men vying for her attention and neither would back down without a fight.

Angel shifted closer to her. "She'll make the right decision," she murmured reassuringly.

But Nudge didn't find it very reassuring. A small frown creased between her eyebrows as she thought. "But who is the right descision for her?" she asked.

xMx

Maya stared out from the shadows at the flock and the new band. She had listened from out of sight, not sure how Max would react to her and not exactly willing to find out quite yet.

But the truth was that despite all that she had gone through, Maya was jealous of Max. Max was the original, the one everybody loved. Max had the two men that Maya may or may not have fallen for competing for her affections while she herself was left all alone. And none of the flock really liked her, they were all reminded too much of Max.

But Maya didn't want to be Max. She just wanted to be herself, Maya. At first she'd thought Fang had seen the non-Max side of her but it soon became evident that he was still pinning after Max, especially after she disappeared. And Dylan was even worse. He sneered at her, and his eyes often seemed to follow her every move, but other than that he refused to talk to her and acknowledge her existence.

She was nothing. Just a clone. And all she wanted was to prove to them that she was more than a clone, that she could be herself, but first she needed someone to believe in her. She didn't care who, it didn't even have to be someone romantically interested in her, she just needed someone who believed she would get her happy ending. Anyone.

**And voilà! I hope you liked it!**

**I tried to make Maya easy to sympathize with, I want to show that she is her own person... of course, that will have to wait! As will any Fax that I might put in. Waiting as in until I build whatever I want in this story up...**

**Oh and... WHOOP DEE FRIDGING DOO! THIRTY AWESOME REVIEWS! YAY! I've reached 30 reviews! You guys are epic! Please review! Thx!**

**Bob out!**

**-M**

**Steve: Savez-vous ce que je dis? ...et au revoir!**

**!¡Oh wait! One last thing! FANG! Do you want him seductive, or friendly and sincere, or angry and aggressive or something else!?**


	11. Chapter 11

**Yo! Happiness all around! Blah dee blah dee blah!**

**GAHHHHHH! FRIDGING STUPID TIMING! I have to wait over a week to read my pre-ordered copy of 'Nevermore' because I'm fridging on vacation! GAHHHHH! I will be soooo mad if my fav pairing doesn't get/stay together... I'm not telling you which! If they don't I'll probably throw the book at a wall and scream! But I'm sure JP will follow my command. *much too innocent smile and batting of eyelashes* FRIGGIN FREAKING FRIDGING STUPID FARTISH TIMING! ARGGGGAFARGAPARGA!**

**Steve: We hereby disclaim Maximum Ride!**

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Fang watched as Max stretched, unconsciously snuggling deeper into Dylan's side. Dylan smiled down at her and smoothed her hair in a gesture Fang had once done.

Fang closed his eyes and turned away, walking out of the house. It hurt to see her happy with someone else the way she'd once been happy with him. But he'd ruined that chanher and left her, and now it was too late. Because as much as she might think and act like she had totally forgiven him, he knew that Max still held it against him. It would take a lot to regain her trust... and maybe even her love.

He sighed, walking in to the forest that bordered the Martinez property.

Max wasn't everdoing to love him again, not when she had Dylan. Not when she was fine without him... happy without him. And as much as Fang knew he loved her, he knew that he couldn't ruin that happiness. If Max was happy he'd just have to learn to be happy too.

xMx

Iggy stared down unseeingly at the ring, twirling it in his fingers.

It had been the last thing they'd seen of Max, the reason they'd known she was gone. It was the promise ring she'd never taken off but Fang had found flung On the ground with the chain ripped. There'd been a scuffle and it was obvious that Total and Max had put ups fight before they were taken but it was the still unsolved mystery was whether or not Max had torn it off herself or whether it had been ripped away in battle, and Iggy was sure that Fang was somewhat desperate to know.

"What's that?" a smooth, silken voice asked.

Iggy didn't bother to glance up, seeing as it would be no use as he was still blind, but he recognized the voice as one of Max's new friend's, Mergeri's to be exact.

"Well, let's see... I'm quite sure it's a ring," he drawled.

He could feel the girl's - or should he say young woman's - sharp glare on him, it felt almost as bad as Max's. "Duh," she scowled, "I mean, whose is it?"

He smirked, wondering why she cared. "Max's."

His sharp hearing picked up her plopping herself down in the seat next to him. Judging by the height ofMyers voice when she was standing and the weight shifted on the couch when she sat next to him, she was tall and slender.

"And why do you have her ring?" she growled, rather protective of her friend.

Iggy turned the finger over in his palm for a moment. "Because I stole it from Fang."

He listened as she shifted in confusion, he could hear the gentle rustling of feathers and gathered that she was a bird kid too. "What color are your wings?" he asked suddenly.

Mergeri stiffened, but slowly extended one of her wings slightly. "Golden tan and white," she responded.

Iggy nodded.

"You're not getting away with changing the subject, you know," she snapped, but she sounded slightly playful though very suspicious. "Why'd you steal the ring?"

He sighed, running his hand through his strawberry blonde hair. He had the best intentions to steal it but it didn't make it any easier to explain it. "Because it's easier if I give it back to her. If Fang gives it back to her it means she's chosen him, but if I give it to her it just means I'm returning a lost item of hers. It gives her more time to choose and makes it not a promise to Fang even if she keeps it. She's not ready to choose yet."

He shifted uncomfortably as he felt something in Mergeri's gaze change, he only wished that he could look in to her eyes and see what it was.

"That's very wise of you," she said softly. "You're a good friend, you know?"

He flashed her a cocky smile. "Of course I am."

xMx

"Gahhhh!" Ella groaned.

Nudge looked up from the magazine she was reading. "What's wrong?"

Ella sighed, flipping down on her bed. "Connor's what's wrong!"

Nudge frowned, putting the latest People's magazine down. "Who's he?" she asked, spinning around in her chair to face her friend.

"He's my boyfriend."

"What's wrong with him?" she asked anxiously. "He doesn't hurt you, does he? He's not abusive, right? 'Cayse that would be horrible. Then the flock would have to go bet him up! And Max would be sooo angry! And you'dwhat've yucky purple bruises, sort of like purple potatoes. They're real things, you know? I wonder I they taste like normal-"

Ella groaned, cutting her off. "No, he's... perfect," she said as if it were the worst thing possible.

"And that's bad because..." Nudge asked slowly, wondering why the heck Ella would find having a perfect boyfriend wrong when she herself had never had a eyes widened. This was sort if like Max's problem. There was the first amazing guy and then the second _'perfect'_ guy comes along. "Who's the first guy?"

Ella sighed, glad to have someone to talk to. "Iggy. I might like... Iggy. And it sucks because Connor is a great guy! They're both really funny and outgoing, and I'm sure they would've been friends. It's just... aghhhh!"

"Iggy? You like Iggy?" Nudge choked, too stunned to add her usual _'ZOMG'_.

Ella sighed, rolling over on stomach back and clutching her pillow to her chest. "Yeah. He's just sooo... nice... and funny! I've liked him for, like, ever!"

Nudge stated at Max's half sister with wide disbelieving eyes. She sighed in exasperation, "Just don't hurt either of them. Figure out which one you like and forget about the other.""But whatdid Iggy doesn't like me anymore?" she moaned.

"Then he wasn't meant for you," Nusge said curtly, tired of Ella's whining.

**Ahhh! So how u like? Who u think date who? I got the ring! MY PRECIOUSSSSS!**

**Hehe! Ella was being dramatic and annoying! Ooo... and me no own People's magazine! It was the first one that popped into my sister's head!**

**IMPORTANT! Ok so I got 2 review last chapter! Kinda depressing, especially when you guys were so good about reviewing! Why was it? Did my last chapter suck or something? Anyways, I thought I should let you know that my updating standard is now higher than just one. There's no set bar, but there has to be more than three to make me happy!**

**Bob out!**

**-M**

**Steve: Personne parle le français! Savez-vous que l'anglais est un des plus difficiles langues avec beaucoup des mots similaire comme 'write' et 'right', et le grammair?**


	12. Chapter 12

**Yo peoples. It's me. Yup, the one and only M is back... after not too long. Anyways... here is Steve...**

**Steve: Here it goes... M does not own Maximum Ride. DUH!**

CHAPTER TWELVE

_The darkness was consuming. I couldn't see anything but the wire mesh right in front of me. But the darkness didn't make me shudder. No, it was the ragged breathing that filled the room that scared me. The dying breaths of others like me. Of other mutants._

_The door swung open, revealing a large burly figure against the blinding light. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to adjust to the new light._

_The Eraser's feet clomped down the aisle. Fear gripped at me, knowing that it was me he wanted. I shivered, remembering his sharp claws digging in to my arms, drawing blood. My hands shook as I remembered being strapped down and stripped as the whitecoats crowded around me, scanning my body and sticking needles and foreign substances in to my blood stream._

_The Eraser ripped my door open and dragged me out, hooking an electric rod to the metal collar I was forced to wear._

_I ducked my head submissively, not wanting to feel the electric shocks running through my body. I shuffled my feet forwards, wrapping my arms around my body and refusing to cry. I was broken. Done for. I was just a shell, not worthy of my name._

_I glanced up, my eyes meeting Total's through the glass windows of the labs. His eyes were wide and scared, his breath was coming in short painful puffs. A whitecoat leaned over him, poking around in the gap they'd cut in to his side._

_I looked away. I was despicable._

xMx

"NOOOOO!" I screamed, sitting up and panting.

My heart pounded in my chest. And my breath came in deep ragged bursts. _Just like Total's_. A whimper escaped my lips.

I froze, my eyes widening as my door barged open.

Pat pocked his head through the door frame. "You okay?" he asked, walking over to my bed.

I nodded mutely, staring out the window in to the dark sky. "Does... does it ever haunt you? What they did?" I murmured.

He gave me a sad smile. "All the time. It was the only life I'd ever known. Everything was based on pain and abuse. And then you came," he said, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. "You were scared but you didn't show it. You held this spirit, this hope. It amazed me. That anyone could keep that kind of fire going inside them."

I chuckled dryly. "And you were this sweet little kid. You had a fire inside you too. You just had it more under control... tamed. And despite everything, you're the kindest dude I know."

He smiled, laughing lightly. "And then there was Mergeri. She hated everything and everyone off the bat, no exceptions. It took forever to earn her trust and friendship. But look at her now... she's our best friend... well, at least she's mine."

I sighed, smiling and leaning back in to my pillow. Not everything in the last four years was horrible. I had the Band. "Yeah. You two are like siblings, always fighting but never letting anyone else pick on the other," I closed my eyes. "It was Total who got to her first. He was pissing her off, with all his corrections in grammar and mannerisms."

"And then Freedom came. And you automatically took her under your wing... pun intended."

I snorted. "Yup. Do... do you think Total's gonna be ok?"

Pat raised an eyebrow. "He's Total. He's not the type to give up, despite what it often seems. He's a strong little squirt, not that he'd want to be called that," he sighed. "Total's one of a kind. He's a funny little dude."

I smiled. "Yeah."

Pat smiled at me and stood up. "See you in the morning," he said, walking away.

xMx

Angel tapped her fingers along her windowsill, staring out into the darkness of the night.

"Who do you love, Max?" she murmured to herself, contemplating the question.

Max and Fang and known each other forever. They were best friends and soul mate, but Angel wondered where exactly they stood now. She could tell that they both longed for each other but both were too stubborn to say it, and Max was still too hurt to totally forgive him.

But Max and Dylan weren't much better. He was like a puppy around her, and sometimes he was cruel. Fang knew how to balance his teasing and jaunts with their friendship but Dylan was new and didn't understand her that well. He took offense easier and his jealousy often made him push her too far. But Angel could tell that he genuinely cared. He was made for her, but who was meant for her?

Max was caught between two pretty amazing guys and her feelings were so jumbled that even Angel couldn't properly discern them. She cared for them both, felt strongly for both of them, but she hated them both.

Angel sighed, wondering if there'd be another guy to pop in to the picture and save Max from the drama. But if somebody else did come, would he pull her out of the drama or be pulled in to the drama?

"GAHHH!" she moaned, flopping back on to her bed. She was too young for all this lovey dovey dramatic shtuff! She'd never felt any of these emotions herself and yet her she was, trying to sort out Max's feelings for her.

_I never want to fall in love_, she thought grumpily, before turning over and trying to get some sleep.

**Ta da! How was that? Not my best chapter but oh well.**

**This is for the request of back ground because apparently it was confusing. Hehe... whoops. And then because I don't like my chapters to be too short I added Angel! Whoop! I'm setting her up for some fluff.**

**Please REVIEW! **

**I was just wondering if anyone here actually ships Mylan, because all I've got is votes for Fax. **

*****Oh and one more thing! CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISM! I could really use some! Is approximately a thousand words a good standard for a chapter? Should I keep my chapters the way they are, or try and keep them more flowing and less scene choppy? And any other tips and concrit would be most helpful!**

**Bob out!**

**-M**

**Steve: M veut que je dit 'GO PERCABETH!'. Car là, j'ai dit... en un façon. Au revoir.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Oooo! So finally some Fang vs Dylan action! ...sorta!**

**I've returned home... AND READ NEVERMORE! If anyone wants to rant, rave and talk about the awesomeness of it... and that bad parts... then feel free to PM me.**

**Steve: M doesn't own Maximum Ride. JP does, boohoo for all the wannabes.**

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

A loud crash sounded from downstairs.

I sprung up from my bed, ready for action and charged downstairs, still in my pjs with my hair a wild mess. I skidded to a stop staring at the fight going on.

Fang was leaning casually against the walls, but his eyes were filled with fury and his lips were pulled back in a slight snarl as he stared at Dylan. Dylan was glaring at him, a broken chair behind him. Both were tense, they're muscles taut and ready for battle.

"Leave her alone. You crushed her. She's mine now. Lay a finger on her and I'll castrate you," Dylan growled. Fang's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Oooo! Big words for such a little man," Mergeri snarled despite the fact that she was shorter than both of the young men. She stepped between them, never one to just watch a fight, preferring to either break it apart or take part in it, she shoved Dylan backwards.

"Shut up," he spat, pushing her to the side. "This is between me and Fang."

Fang pushed off the wall and took a threatening step towards Dylan. "Back off? I haven't done anything. But you hurt Max and you'll be begging for mercy from both her and me. In fact, if _you_ lay a finger on anyone here, you'll answer to me. Remember that," he growled, poking a finger sharply into Dylan's chest and whirling around, stalking out of the house.

I stared wide eyed, glancing back and forth between Dylan and the door.

"Max..." my mother said softly. "Go to him, he needs you now."

I nodded mutely and followed him out the door.

"Max, wait!" Dylan called.

I glanced back at the sound of something cracking. Dylan's nose was bleeding and he was glaring at Iggy.

"Shut up," Iggy snarled, furiously. "You just messed up, and now Max has got to go fix things. Don't get in her way, or you'll not only have Fang to answer to but me."

I smiled slightly at Iggy's support before running out the door to find Fang.

I paused just outside the woods.

Where they really fighting over me? Did Fang not love me anymore? What had gotten in to Dylan? Why was everything so messed up? And then the most important question; ...whom did I love?

"He went that way."

My head snapped up at hearing my own voice and my eyes connecting with eyes exactly like mine. I was staring at my reflection... well almost, she now had an orange streak of hair replacing the magenta one and she wore a bit of make up.

"Maya," I murmured.

"Hey," she said nervously.

I blinked. "What are you doing here?"

She shrugged. "I've been here the whole time. I just didn't think you'd want me here, so I thought I'd stay out of your way," she paused, giving me time for a sarcastic retort but nothing came to mind so she continued. "They both love you, you know? They've been waiting and searching for the past four years for you. That's some serious dedication. The whole flock loves you. And no matter who you choose, they're always going to love you. Keep that in mind," she said, smiling shyly.

I stared at her. She was different from what I'd thought. We'd both matured. I gave her a tentative grin. "You're not that bad, Maya, you know? So I guess I should welcome to the flock."

She grinned back. "I guess that's the best I can hope for with you. I hope we can be friends. Now go get your best friend back," she said, gesturing to a hidden path to my left.

I waved and took off down the path, thinking.

Maya really wasn't all that bad. She was actually kind of cool. They might have made her to replace me but she was still a different person. She'd gone through a different life from me, and she learned different lessons from the life she'd lived, learning to make different decisions.

We could be friends, I decided.

xMx

Iggy glared at Dylan, grabbing him by the shirt collar and dragging him in to the hall.

"Max is not yours. She is not something to be owned. You're made for her. So what? You think I care? You think she cares?" he growled. "Fang is her best friend. So things might not be working out for them, but you are NOT going to ruin it more for them. If you want Max then you play it fair. You let her choose. If you threaten Fang or make him seem bad, that doesn't mean Max loves you, it means you fooled her and whatever you might have with her would be fake."

Dylan glared back at him but backed off. "Sure. Whatever," he muttered, walking away... or at least trying to, but Iggy clapped his hand over his shoulder, and leaned forwards.

"Play fair," he whispered conspiratorially in his ear. "Or else."

And then Iggy twirled on his heel and stalked off, as if a dark cloud hung overhead. Feeling the need to release his bent up energy he headed towards the kitchen.

He moved around the room with practiced ease, grabbing ingredients. He reached for the potatoes, washing them roughly, he took to peeling them, sliding the blade down their slides.

"Potatoes for breakfast?" a girl's voice asked.

"Yeah," he said angrily, tossing the potatoes in to a bowl and pounding them with his fists, imagining it was Dylan's face. He glanced up at Ella, trying to focus on were he thought her face was. "Got a problem with that?"

"Nope," she said, reaching over and swiping some mashed potatoes and sticking it in her mouth. She immediately spat it out. "Ack!"

Iggy chuckled, his anger dissipating as he mashed the potatoes. "They're not cooked."

"I can see that now," she said dryly. "Raw potatoes are disgusting. Too much starch."

He sensed her shifting her weight and springing up. From the rustling of clothing he could tell she was now sitting on the counter. She watched silently as he finished smashing the potatoes and then added butter and a few other ingredients that confused her before sliding it in to the stove.

"So why the potatoes?" she asked.

He shrugged. "It was better than Dylan's face," he smirked.

Ella rolled her eyes and smiled, leaning forwards slightly, wanting to kiss him. But Iggy turned away, not knowing her intentions, and set the timer.

Ella sighed quietly, watching his graceful movements. He was so capable, it was hard to tell he was blind, she thought. She watched as a wisp of ginger hair fell in to his eyes and he brushed it way, wishing she could do that for him.

She couldn't help but want him, even if she had a boyfriend.

**So last chapter wasn't so good. Obviously... because I only got 2 reviews. *sob* I hope this one was much more enjoyable! It was fun to write!**

**Isn't Iggy awesome!? Poor him! He has so much drama! Who do you think has more drama; Max or Iggy? I think Iggy does!**

**And then MAYA... she's nice! SHE'S TOO NICE FOR... umm... hehe... I almost gave it away. Anyways... here she shall be nice. You don't have to like her, but it's not her fault. The whitecoats made her, she's a victim too!**

****SPOILER ALERT! ...she dies *whispers* I don't like that scene. Mainly because she says she loves Fang and he's sad. Nevermore actually made the characters I hated seem a lot more likable and the ones I was fine with not so good. I like NEED to talk about it! GAHHHH!**

**BOB OUT!**

**-M**

**Steve: Est-ce que quel qu'un sait le français? Au revoir!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Yo. The Author's Note at the bottom is very important. It has some very important information that you should probably read.**

**Steve: M does not own Maximum Ride, though she does now own a pocket watch.**

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Fang watched her as she stared out through the trees.

"What was that about?" she asked, not bothering to turn towards him.

He shrugged, studying her. She was much the same as she was four years ago, but older, more mature and newly scarred, she also held some sort of wisdom inside of her that she hadn't had before. Her dirty blonde hair had grown out and was pushed back over her shoulders.

Max turned towards him, her brown eyes alight with fire as she glared at him. "What. Was. That. About?" she ground out. "We both know it's not nothing."

He sighed, stuffing one hand in his pocket and reaching out with the other to push back a stray wisp of her hair. "And if it's not nothing than what is it?" he murmured, taking a step closer to her and staring down at her with intense black eyes.

She let out a low guttural sound as she glared at him, jerking away from his touch.

"Dylan's impatient. He just wants to know who you want to be with, Max."

Max blinked, thinking. "And what do you want?" she asked quietly, staring up at him.

Fang tilted his head to the side, pondering the question. He wanted what he'd always wanted. He wanted her love. But right now that was too much to ask of her. "I want to be your friend again. Your best friend... if the spot's not already taken."

Max stared at him, her jaw hanging open. She couldn't believe that out of all the things he could've asked for he wanted to be her _friend_. "You-you already are my friend. My best friend," she stuttered.

"No, I'm not," he said, running a thumb across her cheek. "I lost that spot almost five years ago when I left. I want to earn it back."

Max nodded mutely, feeling as if her throat had suddenly gone dry. For a moment, as she stared up in to his eyes, she forgot where she was... she forgot everything.

Fang leaned forwards, and Max wondered if he was going to kiss her as he wrapped his arms around her. But he only leaned down slightly and rested his forehead against hers.

"I'm sorry, Max. I know that will never be enough. But I'm really sorry I hurt you. I'm really sorry I left you," he whispered.

She blinked rapidly. "You... you... apologized," she stammered.

He smirked, and raised an eyebrow. Max glared at him, understanding the subtext; _Duh_. She shoved him away, furious, but hiding the fact that she was overjoyed to be on much better terms with him, once again.

Fang chuckled, pulling her closer he rested his chin on her head. Max smiled, and buried her face in to the crook of his shoulder. She finally felt as if she were truly home.

xMx

Fang watched as Max headed back towards the house. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't do it. He just couldn't do it. Groaning slightly, he reached in his pocket to finger the silver band. But it wasn't there.

He frowned, searching all of his pockets for the old thing. But it wasn't there.

He stared frostily up at the house, wondering where the hell he could've left it. He was sure he'd had it, but apparently he didn't.

Fang sighed, maybe it was best that he didn't give her the ring, even if he was only returning it. Maybe it was best that she never had it.

xMx

"GAZZY!" Nudge shouted, staring at the young blonde haired boy as she plugged her nose.

Mergeri snickered, not bothered much by the horrid scent of gaseous mushrooms, garlic and everything gross. "So that's why he's called Gazzy," she grinned.

Gazzy gave both girls an innocent smile, batting his eyes at them. "Yes girls? Is there something wrong?"

"Yes, Gazzy, there is something wrong," Nudge said, exasperated. "Your fart is what's wrong. Take it somewhere else. Somewhere far away, where we can't smell it! You're thirteen, aren't you over that stage?"

"NEVER!" he shouted, raising an arm to the sky like Superman.

"Nudge, think about it. What would you call him if he wasn't gaseous?" Mergeri smirked.

"We'd... we'd call him something!" she sputtered.

Gazzy smirked. "Nice come back, Nudge. You've lost your touch... oh, wait, Max was the queen of comebacks. Nudge, you need some lessons. See ya, guys. I'm outta here."

"SEE YA, SUCKAH!" Mergeri shouted after him as the door slammed closed.

Gazzy smiled, Nudge hadn't changed a bit, and the Mergeri girl was pretty cool too. In his opinion, she'd be an awesome addition to the Dynamic Duo... that is if she was interested in bombs. But either way she was perfect for –

"Hey Gazter!" Iggy shouted, taking a skid landing and pulling to a stop right in front of him.

"Iggy, the 'Gazter' sounds horrible."

"Whatevs," he muttered. "I need your help."

Gazzy rolled his eyes. "If you're trying to get a girl, forget about it."

His blind friend pouted. "But I weally, weally like her!"

Gazzy raised an eyebrow."I'm raising an eyebrow and questioning your sanity," he said.

Iggy's eyes widened. "You can do that at the same time?" he asked in fake disbelief. Turning serious, he said, "No, it's not about that, its Max –"

Gazzy groaned. "Don't tell me you like her too," he whined.

Iggy frowned. "Of course not, I'm too awesomesauce for her. Besides, she's got too much drama going on around her for me. No, I'm talking about this," he said, pulling out the ring Fang had given her a long time ago.

"You're going to propose to her! WHAT THE HELL, MAN?"

"This is the ring Fang gave her," Iggy said, rolling his eyes.

"Fang's proposing to her?"

"GAHHH!" Iggy groaned. "Are you stupid? Fang's not proposing. I'm giving this back to her to avoid the extra non-needed drama."

Gazzy blinked slowly. "Ohhh... So why do you need my help?"

"Because I don't know how," he sighed.

"Just get her alone and hand it to her. And then voila, done," he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, and it was kind of. He frowned, "Why didn't you think of that?"

"Because I'm me," Iggy said in a _duh_ tone.

"Whatever. Iggy, you need some brains," Gazzy muttered as they walked back towards the house.

"Brains on a stick."

**Sorry to disappoint but no Fax yet. Gotta start with building up the base of their relationship first.**

**I like writing about Gazzy and Iggy. They're funny dudes. I found it rather ironic that Iggy thought Max had drama because he probably has more drama, he's just oblivious to it.**

***** So the important part now.**

**I've given up on you guys. I'm seriously not getting a lot of reviews but I'm not going to bribe or threaten you with Fax or updates. Nahhh. Not my style... though I was tempted to. Oh, and just in case anybody got the wrong idea, no, I am not giving up on this story. IT SHALL CONTINUE! *strikes superman pose***

**Anyways I would like to thank the people who did review, they know who they are and I know who they are so I'm not going to put their names up. **

***So here's the real important part. I'm going to start another story and try and work on 2 at the same time. Wowza. Anyways, because I'm not sure what I want to write, I've narrowed down my long list to my few favourites and am putting up a POLL... because I'm cool like that, bro.**

**Please check it out and vote. If you don't have an account you can still check it out (not sure if that's possible but you can try) and just tell me your opinion in a review... if you want.**

**Wow. I use a lot of 'anyways'.**

**Ooo! And if you had anyideas for the next two chapters I could use some!**

**Bob out!**

**-M**

**Steve: M doit practiqué sa français, mais elle a un long note car ca devrais être courte. Alors, au revoir.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Yeah, so it's been two weeks since I last updated... oops. I could give a bunch of lame excuses but it mainly boils down to me being a major procrastinator. I probably would have kept procrastinating if I hadn't set a deadline for the first day of school**

**Yup, today was my first day back at school. I realized how much I love my French class. I've been in their class since grade one because there's not that many French immersions students at my school. Homeroom, I knew next to nobody so I was just my awkward self when I'm not my crazy self. Yupperduppers. I'll shut up now.**

**Steve: No owning Maximum Ride here, dumbos.**

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

My lips drew back in a lazy smile as I circled him.

Without warning, he launched himself forwards, throwing a fake to my right before coming up with a kick to my side. I moved out of the way just in time to dodge his blow and sent a punch to his abdomen. He let out a small groan, but otherwise didn't seem bothered, my fist on the other hand throbbed slightly. _Stupid abs_.

I low warning growl rose from my throat and I narrowed my eyes as we continued to circle each other. I checked for faults in his stance or even a slight opening for an attack but he was obviously well trained, I giggled at that thought.

He rolled his eyes, following the gist of my thoughts. But apparently as my thoughts wandered, I'd let my guard slip slightly because with a smug smirk he once again launched his attack. His fist grazed my head and I knew that later I'd have to check for a bump.

Grunting, I bent my knees and hurled myself at him. He was taken by surprise and I easily tackled him to the ground with an _oomph_.

Moving quickly, I pinned his arms above his head and pressed by knee in to his chest as I crouched over him. My hair tumbled out of my braid and fell over my shoulder, tickling his face. He let out a puff of air, blowing my hair out of his face.

I laughed, smiling down at him. And then before I knew it, he twisted underneath me and pinned me in a similar position to the one he'd just been in.

"You need to practice," he said, smirking that infuriating smirk of his.

I growled but rolled my eyes, breathing heavily. "That's what four years of living in a cage does to you."

He smiled sadly down at me. Rolling off of me, he lay down next to me, tucking an arm beneath his head. "I know," he murmured dejectedly. "I wish that had never happened."

Sitting up I stared down at him, he had his eyes closed at his face turned up to the sun. I reached over and pushed back his black hair. He opened an eye and looked at me. "No use in wishing that now," I whispered, laying back down and resting my head on his chest. "I'm here now."

He wrapped an arm loosely around me and smiled. "God, we haven't had a good match in a long time. It was nice."

"Nice until you got your ass pounded," I retorted, still smiling.

"And here I remember you being the one you lost," he snorted. "Admit it; it was you who got your ass handed to you on a silver platter."

I giggled, looking up at him. "We're so weird," I said. We were silent for a moment, soaking in the peace and the familiarity of being together before I spoke up. "I'm glad we're friends again, Fang."

He glanced over at me before staring back at the sky. "Me too," he murmured. "Me too..."

xMx

Nudge glanced out the window, smiling when she saw the two forms of her two leaders as they lay next to each other in the shade of the trees.

_They're so adorable!_ she couldn't help but squeal in her mind.

Frowning, she turned towards her computer and faced the new problem; getting Max's relationship out to the world. So maybe it wasn't really that much of a problem, but Nudge had recently discovered the glory of 'The Legend of Korra' and shipping. She was now invested in shipping Makorra and wanted others to support Max that same way.

And that's where 'Fax' and 'Mylan' came in.

Nudge drummed her fingers along her desk. _Max needs shippers_, she thought. _She has the SS Fax and the SS Mylan and now she just needs the crazy fan girls and shippers, also known as the passengers._

An evil grin spread across her face as an idea came to mind. Concentrating, Nudge's fingers flew across the keyboard, ready to set her plan in motion.

_Fax. Mylan. Meet the world._

xMx

Pat smiled slightly as he gave the swings a gentle shove. Freedom giggled, swinging back and forth.

"Weeeee," she laughed, spreading her arms wide and kicking her legs uselessly. "Weeeeee!"

"Do you mind if I take a picture, I'm a photographer," a voice said.

Pat looked over to his right, still pushing Freedom in the swings, to see a short brunette who looked to be about his age.

He shrugged, smiling politely at the girl. "Sure. What's it for, if you don't mind me asking?"

She smiled at his politeness. "It's a photography program I'm taking. We're supposed to be taking pictures to show the community," she said. "Do you mind just pretending I'm not here while I snap a few shots?"

Pat nodded, turning back to Freedom he pushed the swings, smiling as she shouted out another; "WEEEEEE!" It was a rather peaceful moment and he ignored the whirring of the camera as she took her photos.

"Done," the brunette said. Pat smiled and lifted the smaller girl down from the swings and letting her scamper off towards the playground. "I'm Jill, by the way," the girl said, offering her hand. He took it and shook it politely.

"Pat."

"If you want, I can send you the pictures when I get them developed," she offered. "Do you have an email address you're willing to give me?" He shook his head. "Facebook?"

He frowned. "Facebook? Like a book shaped as a face?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

"God, no," she laughed. "It's a social network. What type of rock do you live under?"

"A fairly large one, obviously," he chuckled. "I'll probably be taking... my, uh... sister..." he said stumbling over what to call Freedom, "everyday about this time, so if its not to much of a bother, you could drop them off here?"

Jill smiled. "Sure, no problem. I think you just helped me pass my course with flying colours anyways," she laughed. "So what's your sister's name."

Pat told her, and the two of them talked for a while as they watched Freedom run around the playground laughing and shouting until he decided it was time to go home if he wanted to make it in time for dinner with Ella's boyfriend that had apparently been scheduled a few days before the gang had got there. It would be rather awkward to explain why there were so many new people hanging around the house.

"BYEEEEE!" Freedom shouted, waving back at Jill as Pat lifted her on to his shoulders.

"Bye," she laughed, waving the two of them off.

**AGHHH! Sorry for the crappy randomness. I didn't know what to write but I needed to add this stuff in, and I felt like writing action because I'm, well, pretty good at it.**

**So, onwards and so and so forth. Reviewing should give me the motivation I need to keep this story going, just so you know.**

**Ba-bye! Peace the bob out suckers! **

**-M**

**Steve: M pense qu'elle doit practiqué sa français plus. Elle est correct. Aussi, s'il te plait passer un revue. Au revoir.**

**No copyright intended upon Facebook, or the Legend of Korra. Nah, I don't own those. I also don't own the pairing names.**


	16. Chapter 16

Ack! I'm so embarrassed. This story just isn't working for me. I've been working on a lot of different newer stuff and every time I try to return to this story it never feels right.

I'm not deleting this story, but I am putting it on hiatus, possibly permanent hiatus. I'll either rewrite it or something similar, continue it or just leave it.

I also deleted 'Stuck in the InBetween' a while ago, if you were reading it. But I'm working on a new longer fic called 'Leave Me Behind', and a bunch of songfics that I'd appreciate if you would check out if you haven't already.

Thanks! Sorry!

Peace out!

-M


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